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Haniyeh killed by a projectile fired at his room, eyewitnesses say

Three individuals who were in the heavily guarded building in Tehran where Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated have told Middle East Eye that the Hamas political chief was killed by a projectile fired at his room and not a planted bomb.

The individuals, one of whom was staying in a room near Haniyeh's, said on Friday that they heard sounds before an explosion shook the building, sounds they said appeared to be consistent with those made by a missile.

"This was definitely a projectile and not a planted bomb," one of the individuals told MEE, adding that they saw the aftermath of the explosion which appeared to be consistent with an attack by a missile.

The other two individuals, who were staying on separate floors, also witnessed the aftermath of the strike, which resulted in the partial collapse of the ceiling and exterior wall of Haniyeh's room.

Haniyeh, a veteran Hamas official who had played a key role in talks for a potential ceasefire in Gaza, was killed alongside his long-serving bodyguard Wasim Abu Shaaban on Wednesday, hours after they attended a swearing-in ceremony for Iran's new President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Read more: Haniyeh killed by a projectile fired at his room, eyewitnesses say

An image purportedly showing the Tehran guesthouse where Ismail Haniyeh was staying (Screengrab/X)
An image purportedly showing the Tehran guesthouse where Ismail Haniyeh was staying (Screengrab/X)